HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr has been selected by Gov. Tom Wolf to serve as one of four co-chairs for the governor’s Middle Class Task Force – a citizen-led panel that will seek recommendations to support and grow the Commonwealth’s middle class.

“With our prime location, diverse industry base and strong work ethic, Pennsylvania is uniquely poised for a host of economic opportunities,” said Gene Barr, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. “But despite these benefits, there are people without jobs, and there are good paying jobs without people to fill them. I’m excited to listen and meet with residents from across the commonwealth to discuss the challenges currently facing our state – including a growing jobs skills gap – and work with my fellow task force members towards solutions that will help the middle class and Pennsylvania’s economy thrive.”

The other co-chairs for the task force are: Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Assistant Vice Chancellor Dr. Sue Mukherjee and Pennsylvania Workforce Development Association Chairperson Susie Snelick.

The task force will hold six regional meetings throughout the state over the next several weeks. The meetings will bring together business leaders, educators, workers and students to discuss ways the state can better support workers in their efforts to secure and keep family sustaining jobs, as well as ways to invest in the education and training that will make businesses in Pennsylvania more competitive. The first meeting took place today in Harrisburg.

Following the conclusion of the regional meetings, the task force will present recommendations to the governor later this year.

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The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry is the state's largest broad-based business association, with its statewide membership comprising businesses of all sizes and across all industry sectors. The PA Chamber is The Statewide Voice of BusinessTM.